Unexpected Sting by Viola Grace (good romance books to read TXT) 📗

“So, she started theacceleration. Good to know.” Yua’s expression was grim. “At leastyou have a good skin tone and not her pasty complexion.”

“Yeah, it makes Nana’s racismbounce off a bit.”

Yua chuckled. “Yes, that.”

A maid helped take her clothing,and when hands helped scrub her under the shower, she yelped.

She was scrubbed, rinsed, herhair was washed and combed, and then, she was dried and wrapped inlayers before a kimono was settled, and they wrapped, tugged,straightened, and tugged again before her midsection was wrappedtight. Her hair was moved off her face and fastened with acomb.

Yua smiled, her red featuressmiling happily. “You are quite lovely, and you have a goodheart.”

“If you are referring to thebite marks and me letting him go to town, he has to ask first.”

Yua grinned. “I like you. Now,come on, your wedding waits.”

“Wedding?”

“Ah, I am guessing that Arthurdid not tell you. You need to have your union witnessed by ourcommunity, or you will not have help if you need it.”

“How much union needs tobe witnessed?”

“As much as you can tolerate. Weare creatures of great appetites and indulge them frequently.” Yuasighed. “Alfred had my kimono half off before I lost my nerve, andthe laughter followed us when we went to our quarters.”

Stinger understood, and shenodded. “It’s a good thing that there are in layers but don’t falloff.”

“You are bold.”

“I am determined. I will notcringe at what is asked of me, and I will enjoy any time withArthur. Public or private.”

“In either form?”

“Yes, Yua. Either form.”

They walked toward gardens, anda maid helped her into zori before she stepped onto the crunchinggravel. Arthur was waiting for her, dressed in the kimono of hismother’s clan. His red features and golden hair were shining withanticipation. Arthur’s father was waiting next to him, and helooked at her in surprise.

She stepped up to him. “Ithought ogres grabbed brides and ran away.”

Arthur smiled. “I just told youthat to get you to agree to visit. If you knew a wedding washappening, it would have given you pause.”

“Damn straight.” She sighed.“Come down here.”

He bent, and she touched theside of his face as she kissed him. The ogres that were gatheredmurmured in either shock or approval, but she grinned. The priestarrived to give them a blessing, and she took on her scorpionappearance as the elements were asked to guard their union.

He held her hands, and theysmiled at each other while the prayers and chanting continued. Hekissed her again, and Yua snapped at him. They chuckled, and thekiss went on and on.

Her scaled coating had surprisedmany of the onlookers, but Alfred was laughing as he stood withYua.

The ogre priest finally tappedArthur on the head with a stick. “Arthur. You are married. We havea feast now.”

Arthur nodded. “We feastnow.”

They walked to an open courtyardand knelt at the table set aside for them.

He murmured, “After this, wewill have to greet the clan elders, and somewhere in there, I haveto try to seduce you.”

“You have to?” She chuckled asshe washed her hands in the bowl brought for that.

“It’s an ogre joke for how shyand retiring our brides are.”

“Oh. Dear. That could be aproblem. So, I need to pretend to be all shy and retiring and notlike we have been screwing for three days?”

“No. I want your reactions asthey come.”

“Uh-huh. So, this is less aboutpurity and more about ego-stroking. I can manage that.” She foldedher hands in her lap and then stroked her fingers up his thigh.

He growled. “I think I shouldhave kept my mouth shut.”

“Ah, just remember, later, Iwill undress, the obi will be off, and the kimono will slowly slidefrom my shoulders...” she poured some tea and served him from theportions that they were given.

He passed some of the food toher. “You need to keep your strength up.”

“Tease.”

They giggled together and haddinner with fifty strangers watching.

Once they finished eating, thedancers came out, and Stinger watched closely as the women moved.“That’s lovely.”

“I prefer your dancing.”

“My dancing has a lot lessclothing.”

“Mmmm, yes. It does.”

She elbowed him, and somethingin the air changed. A woman staggered forward. “Arthur ismine.”

Stinger stood up. “I beg todiffer. I have had him in most conventional ways and a few thatrequired a manual. He is mine.”

Arthur murmured. “She’svenomous.”

Stinger walked toward him, andthe woman in green looked at her.

The stranger hissed. “You arenot worthy of him.”

“Yes, but if I don’t have him, Iwill have to follow him. Track him, hunt him, and his children, andtheir children, and their children. It will be a busy time for megoing forward, and it will be awkward when the child arrives. Hewill have to help me on with my shoes so I can chase him.”

There was a scream, and the toadyokai lashed out with her tongue. Stinger raised her hand andflicked her fingers. The tongue severed neatly, and the largerportion of it continued and stuck to a wall; an acid-bubblingsubstance ate the wood as the severed tongue flopped down.

The woman had her hands clappedover her mouth, and she turned and ran.

Arthur cuddled her against hischest. “I am sorry. She gained an obsession about a decade ago. Ithas kept me from spending as much time here as I would like. Ithought you needed the wraps to use your magic.”

“No. I need them to contain it.Otherwise, it is just a cutting blade that follows my fingers.”

He blinked. “I am thinking ofall the places those fingers have been.”

She laughed. “I didn’t want anydamage to the kimono.”

“Well, we are being summoned togreet the kijin. In your parlance, the fancy ogres.”

She snorted, and they walkedover to the table where the kijin sat. They were wearing robes withthe same crest that was on Stiila’s sleeves. Arthur bowed, and shefollowed with a polite version that didn’t lower her head quite asmuch as his.

The kijin laughed. He lookedhuman with sharp teeth, and power came off him in waves. “Yourlittle companion seems to have sharp teeth, Arthur.”

“Sharp teeth are the only thingthat my wife is lacking.”

She paused and elbowed him,opening her mouth wide and folding her fangs down. He looked andlaughed. “Yes, Lord Rez of the Gozu, she does.”

She folded her fangs back inplace; she kept